18. Nothing More Than Another Day

Gray looks at The Dragon Priest with one eye open. He readies himself and Lucy touches his arm.

"Gray.....Please don't get hurt." Lucy says. Gray looks back at her and he flashes her a smile.

"U kidding? I'm already hurt." Gray says cheerfully. Lucy smiles at his remark. He looks back at the Dragon Priest. Gray holds out both hands as if there was a gun in them. Soon a icy form comes from his hands and makes a cannon. "Ice Male Cannon!" Gray yells. The cannon blasts and hits the Dragon Priest. Lucy looks excited when the Dragon Priest stumbled back. "Alright get 'em Natsu!" Gray yells. Natsu jumps over him and he attacks with a ball of flames. The Dragon Priest steps back once more.

"Gray!" Natsu yells. Gray gets into his Ice Make stance.

"Ice Make Lance!" Gray says as ice molded spears stab into the Dragon Priest. It takes a step back again. "Natsu!" Gray yells. Gray jumps over Natsu and he runs beside him.

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu yells. His right hand ignites with flames. Gray smacks his fist into his hand and then he pulls it back and ice starts to form on his hand and on his elbow. They both attack with a series of attacks and the Dragon Priest is sent off the ledge and falls into the water. They both are gasping for air. Natsu looks at Gray. "You might be a pain in my ass, but we can take down any enemy." Natsu smiles. Gray smiles back.

"I always hated you flame breath, but we are great at teamwork." Gray says. Lucy smiles at their bromance. Katsu starts to get up and he feels a warm liquid going down the side of his rib. He touches his rib and he winces at the pain.

"D-dammit...." Katsu says to himself. He puts his hand on the wall. The team walks over to him.

"Katsu you okay?" Lucy asks.

"I'm fine." Katsu says. He removes his hand from the wound and blood pours down his side.

"Bro your side...." Gray says wincing.

"Its just a cut. I'll live." Katsu says. He rips the shirt tail and puts it on the wound.

"Katsu you need medical attention now!" Lucy says.

"Don't worry I'll be fine." Katsu says. He looks around the area. "Exactly how do we get out?" Katsu asks.

"There should be a way out." Gray says. He looks around with Natsu and the others. Pyro looks up at her buddy.

"Are you really going to be okay?" Pyro asks. Katsu pats her head.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He smiles.

"Found a way out!" Natsu yells. They walk out of the tunnel. They get outside the ruins and Lucy stretches while breathing in air.

"Fresh air!" Lucy says smiling.

"You said it." Gray says. Him and Lucy nudge each other. Natsu and Happy run down the hill.

"Gonna get some fresh food!" Natsu yells as him and Happy race toward the cafe. Gray, Lucy, and Juvia walk down the hill following Natsu and Happy. Erza re-equips to her normal armor. Katsu leans on the tree.

"You coming?" Erza asks. Katsu shakes his head.

"No. I'm not hungry." Katsu says.

"You okay?" Erza asks. He nods. She walks to him and leans against the tree. "I can tell you're lying. What's wrong?" She looks at him.

"It seems like I'm always getting injured. I get injured and then can't keep fighting." Katsu says. She looks away from him and looks into the sky.

"Don't feel bad. You're tough, and tough guys get the girls." She says. She winks at him. Pyro is holding in a laugh.

"Can I ask you something then?" He asks. She nods. "Why don't you get close to anyone?" He asks. She rubs her arm and looks down.

"I don't want to talk about it. I don't trust anyone like I use to." She says. Katsu felt hurt that she didn't trust him.

"Forget I asked." He says.

"Already have." She says.

Later Katsu is at Erza's house. Katsu has his bags with him.

"You can set your bags in the guest room." Erza says. She motions for him to follow her. She leads him to the room. "This will be your room for now." Erza says. Katsu walks into the room. The room is decorated well. The dresser is against the wall. The bed is on the other side of the room. The covers are red with white pillows. The entertainment center is beside the bed with pictures on it. Katsu sets his bags beside the bed and looks at the pictures. It shows Erza sitting on a bench with a guy with blue hair and a red marking on his left eye.

"Who is this person next to you in this picture?" Katsu asks. Erza sighs and immediately looks away with a depressed expression.

"That's Jellal." Erza says. She walks into the room and picks up the picture. "He's that person." Katsu nods.

"The person that you once lov-" Katsu stops himself. Erza sighs again.

"Yeah, that person." Erza begins to walk out of the room.

"You don't have to give up on love Erza. You'll find the right person. I know it." Katsu says. Erza turns her head toward Katsu.

"I appreciate what you're doing, but I'm going to give up on love for right now. I need to focus on other things." Erza says. She walks out of the room. Katsu looks at Pyro.

"Girls are gentle, they take things more harder than boys do." Pyro says.

"I tried, but Erza doesn't need to be like this. If she keeps it up she'll get left out on the most precious of her life. I'm sure she wants to get married and whatnot." Katsu says.

"Erza won't miss out on that." Pyro says.

"I hope she doesn't." Katsu says.

Night falls and Katsu is getting out of the shower. He dries his face and looks into the mirror. He looks at his unkempt hair and his pink eyes. He dries off his hair and then dries off the rest of his body. He puts on the shorts he wears to bed. He opens the door and he walks to his new room. He sees Erza sitting at the table reading a book. She is in her pj's. He walks over to her and sits down.

"How long you planning on staying up?" Katsu asks.

"Not long." Erza says.

"Oh I'm going to bed then." Katsu gets up and Erza closes her book.

"Why do you care so much about me getting a relationship?" Erza asks. Katsu smiles.

"No one should be alone. Everyone needs someone to make them feel the happiest." Katsu says. Erza smiles.

"That's nice of you to say." Erza says.

"I'm just saying the truth." Katsu says. Katsu walks back to his room. Erza soon gets up and she goes to hers. She stops at Katsu's door and wanted to say something, but she shakes her head and walks toward her room.